Zeolites, one of the important raw materials of recent years, are chemically known as “hydrated alumino silicates”.

The structures of zeolites contain cavities and have the appearance of a honeycomb or cage. Cations and water, which are generally alkali and alkaline earth metals, can be found in the cavities in the molecular structure of zeolites.

The honeycomb or lattice structure of zeolites has a channel or cavity size between 2-12 angstroms. Since cations are weakly bonded to zeolite, they can easily exchange ions, so zeolites are used as ion exchangers. The water molecules in the pores can also be heated and easily leave the zeolitic structure or be adsorbed again.

Natural zeolites are the name of a group consisting of more than 40 minerals. The most well-known of them are; analcime, chabazite, clinoptilolite, erionite, ferrierite, heulandite, mordenite, stilbite and phillipsite, laumonite, natrolite, faujasite, synthetic zeolite, synthetic zeolite X.

There are also synthetic zeolites. Pure and uniform synthetic zeolites were synthesized for the first time in 1938, and their production was carried out in 1948. They are not equivalent to natural zeolites and there are over 200 species. These zeolites, which are consumed especially in the detergent and chemical industry, are currently not produced in Turkey.